1/3 Tattler, Fairhaven fire, WA lege bills, AK avian flu, marine maladies, whale poop, oil refinery rules

 

Wandering Tattler

Wandering Tattler Tringa incana
A familiar bird in winter along the Pacific Coast, the Wandering Tattler’s plumage blends with dark gray rocks along the ocean. The tattler’s telltale unsteady gait comes from bobbing its tail as it hunts for insects, small mollusks, and crabs. On their arctic breeding grounds, they wear a snappy plumage of dark gray upperparts and neatly barred underparts. They display and forage along streams but conceal their nests in tundra, far from display areas. On migration, they may wander as far as South Pacific islands, over 7,500 miles away. (All About Birds)

Officials confirm body of business owner Nathaniel Breaux found at site of Fairhaven fire
Breaux was the owner of the Harris Avenue Cafe and The Old Independent Coffee House, both of which were destroyed by the fire. (Bellingham Herald)

Cap-and-trade, climate change return to the 2024 WA Legislature
On the agenda starting Jan. 8: Spending Washington’s carbon tax, tweaking the cap-and-invest program and taking a stab at utility rebates. John Stang reports. (Crosscut)

Avian influenza death of Alaska polar bear is a global first and a sign of the virus’ persistence
The highly pathogenic influenza that has already killed vast numbers of birds and numerous mammals continues to circulate in the world’s wild populations. Yereth Rosen reports. (Washington State Standard)

How Terrestrial Turds Lead to Marine Maladies
Diseases from land animals are killing marine mammals at an alarming rate. Can we stem the flow of feces? Jeremy Miller reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Whale poop in B.C. lab sheds light on orcas at risk of extinction
Researchers are conducting scat science in hopes of directing policy that protects orca populations, Nick Laba reports. (North Shore News)

State Department of Labor and Industries tightens oil refinery safety regulations
Oil refineries in the state will face tighter safety regulations within the next year.The state Department of Labor and Industries announced last week that it would adopt regulations that strengthen process safety management in the five refineries. Emma Fletcher-Frazer reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

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Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  301 AM PST Wed Jan 3 2024    
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH  THURSDAY AFTERNOON    
TODAY  SE wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell  9 ft at 13 seconds. A chance of rain.  
TONIGHT  S wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SE 10 to 20 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 14 ft at 13 seconds  subsiding to 12 ft at 13 seconds after midnight. Rain likely in  the evening then rain after midnight.

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